Mayor Linda Balzotti said the city plans to hire 12 new police officers to counter Brockton's violent, drug- and gang-related crime spike.

Lee Harmon's Tuesday night slaying brings Brockton's homicide total for the year to nine.

"I've lived here all my life -- I'm frustrated too. It's not that I'm immune to the frustration," Balzotti said.

First responders found Harmon beaten to death in a parking lot at 120 Clinton St. in Brockton just before 9 p.m. Tuesday.

"He knew I was there and he had someone with him," said one witness who was with Harmon when he died. "I knew he wasn't going to survive. God bless him. I just wanted him to know someone was there with him."

At the time of the attack, Harmon was riding the bike he often used to visit his daughter who has multiple sclerosis.

Harmon, a father of six, was killed one day after his 74th birthday.

Police are looking at area surveillance video to see if they can identify the killer.

Investigators said they are searching for a light-skimmed Hispanic or Cape Verdean man who is between 16 and 29 years old. He is about 5 feet 10 inches tall and has a thin to athletic build. At the time of the attack, he was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, light-colored shorts and black sneakers.

Officials also released a photo of a red and black baseball hat that was found near the victim.

Anyone with information is asked to contact investigators at 508-941-0234.

MINISTER KILLED WITH A HAMMER. JOHN ATWATER WHERE THERE WILL BE A MEETING. AND A LOT OF PEOPLE, INCLUDING THE FAMILY OF THE MAN WHO WAS BRUTALLY KILLED. THERE'S NO SENSE FOR IT. IT'S AGGRAVATING AND FRUSTRATING. I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE MOW FRUSTRATING FOR BEING A CITY OFFICIAL. AND IT'S PROMPTED A RENEWED LOOK AT THE MURDER RATE HERE. NINE LIVES LOST. ALREADY, HIGHER THAN ALL OF LAST YEAR. I'VE LIVED HERE ALL MY LIFE SO I'M JUST AS FRUSTRATED AS THEY ARE. THE MAYOR'S CALLED A COMMUNITY SAFETY MEETING TONIGHT AND WILL ANNOUNCE THE 12 ADDITIONAL POLICE OFFICERS FROM THE ACADEMY WILL SOON BE ON THE STREETS WITH UP TO FOUR MORE TO COME. BUT THE PROBLEMS IN THIS COMMUNITY RUN DEEP. WE HAVE A LOT OF ISSUES INVOLVED WITH INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL HEALTH, AND THE TREATMENTS AND THE FACILITIES, AND THE FUNDING FOR THOSE PROGRAMS AREN'T THERE ANYMORE. THE MAYOR SAYS THE CITY IS FOCUSED ON AT-RISK YOUTH TO TRY TO STEM THE VIOLENCE, BUT SAYS EVERYONE WHO LIVES HERE ARE PART OF THE SOLUTION. THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE JUST BEYOND MY CONTROL IN TERMS OF WHAT'S GOING THROUGH AN INDIVIDUAL'S MIND. POLICE ARE STILL LOOKING FOR THE KILLER IN THE HAMMER ATTACK. THERE ARE SEVERAL SECURITY